The present invention relates to a binding-off process to prevent loosening of stitches by joining the stitches of two knitted fabrics knitted in overlapping relation in back and front to each other by using a flat knitting machine comprising at least a pair of front and back needle beds having a number of knitting needles fitted in needle grooves. The present invention also relates to a knitted fabric thus bound off and to a CAD system storing therein the data of the binding-off process of the invention.
A binding-off process for preventing loosening of stitches in the last course of a fabric knitted in a flat knitting machine is known. In the binding-off process, the knitting process that a loop in the last course of the knitted fabric is laid over the next to form a double loop and then a bind-off loop is formed at the double loop is repeated from one end of the fabric to the other end thereof, whereby the loops of the last course of the knitted fabric are cleared in sequence from the needles. When this knitting process is used for loops in the last course of a tubular fabric whose front and back fabrics are knitted in overlapping relation in back and front so that the loops are bound off on the both front and back needle beds, the both fabrics are joined to each other on the side on which the knitting is finished. For example, when this binding-off process is used for the joining of front and back bodies of a sweater along a shoulder line, the need of a sewing process after the knitting can be eliminated.
The applicant previously made the proposals for the binding-off process of a tubular knitted fabric in Japanese Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publications No. Hei 8 (1996)-337946 and No. Hei 9 (1997)-241950. Japanese Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publication No. Hei 8 (1996)-337946 discloses the binding-off process wherein after once a loop of a front knitted fabric and a loop of a back knitted fabric, placed opposite, are mutually transferred to the needles on the opposite needle beds, the loop of the back knitted fabric is laid over the loop of the front knitted fabric. Then, a bind-off loop continuous with the double loop thus formed is formed. This knitting process is repeated for the binding-off process of the front and back knitted fabrics. In this binding-off process, only a single course of bind-off loops is formed along the joints of the front and back knitted fabrics. It is to be noted that the terminology of xe2x80x9cthe bind-off coursexe2x80x9d occurring in this specification is intended to mean a chain stitch of the bind-off loops formed in the binding-off process.
Japanese Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publication No. Hei 9 (1997)-241950 discloses that after the bind-off loops are formed in each of the front knitted fabric and the back knitted fabric, the bind-off loops thus formed are transferred to transfer empty needles on the opposite needle beds or transfer jacks and the like on upper auxiliary needle beds, whereby the bind-off loops are crossed with each other over a cross-over yarn and, thereafter, the bind-off loop formed in the front knitted fabric is laid over the loop at the inside of the front knitted fabric and also the bind-off loop formed in the back knitted fabric is laid over the loop at the inside of the back knitted fabric in the same manner. This knitting process is repeated to interweave the bind-off loops with each other, whereby the knitted fabrics are joined to each other. In this binding-off process, two bind-off courses are formed along the joints of the front and back knitted fabrics. Accordingly, the knitted fabric bound off in this binding-off process can be prevented from stringing out at the joints, as compared with the knitted fabric bound off in the binding-off process disclosed by Japanese Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publications No. Hei 8 (1996)-337946.
For providing further improvements, the present invention provides a binding-off process, which is performed by using a flat knitting machine comprising at least a pair of first and second needle beds, which have a number of needles, respectively, and are placed opposite in front and back; between which a needle bed gap is defined; and at least either of which is movable slidably transversely, and at least one yarn feeder for feeding a yarn to the needles of the first needle bed and the second needle bed and in which the knitting that a bind-off loop formed continuously with a loop in the last course of a tubular fabric comprising a first knitted fabric and a second knitted fabric is laid over a loop adjoining to the bind-off loop formed continuously with the loop in the last course of the fabric, to form a bind-off loop of the next course is repeated from one end of a region of the binding-off process toward the other end, to join the first and second knitted fabrics to each other on the side on which the knitting is finished, the binding-off process comprising:
1) the process that at least three bind-off courses are formed starting at not less than three loops, i.e., loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at side ends thereof in the region of the binding-off process, and a loop adjoining to the loop of at least either of the first and second knitted fabrics at the side end, and
2) the process that the bind-off loop formed is laid over the loop of the last course of the opposite knitted fabric in such a manner that while being formed, the respective bind-off courses can be allowed to extend in zigzag from the first knitted fabric to the second knitted fabric and vice versa, ranging over the region of the binding-off process, to be crossed with each other.
In the binding-off process, the respective bind-off courses are formed in the process order:
1) that the bind-off loops are formed at the loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at their respective side ends in the region of the binding-off process;
2) that the bind-off loops formed in the process 1 are each laid over the loop in the last course of the opposite knitted fabric;
3) that the bind-off loop is formed at the loop adjoining to the loop of at least either of the first and second knitted fabrics at the side end; and
4) that the bind-off loops formed in the process 3 are each laid over the loop in the last course of the opposite knitted fabric.
In the binding-off process, four bind-off courses may be formed starting at loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at side ends thereof in the region of the binding-off process, and loops adjoining to those loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at the side ends.
According to the present invention, at least three bind-off courses are formed starting at not less than three loops, i.e., loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at side ends thereof on the side on which the knitting of a tubular fabric is finished in the region of the binding-off process, and a loop adjoining to the loop of at least either of the first and second knitted fabrics at the side end, and the loop of the bind-off course formed is laid over the loop of the last course of the opposite knitted fabric in such a manner that while being formed, the respective bind-off courses can be allowed to extend in zigzag from the first knitted fabric to the second knitted fabric and vice versa, ranging over the region of the binding-off process, to be crossed with each other. This allows the bind-off courses to be densely weaved between the first and second knitted fabrics so as to close a gap therebetween and prevents an undesirable stretch of the fabric at the joints.
Also, the present invention provides a knitted fabric bound off in the binding-off process wherein a bind-off loop formed continuously with a loop in the last course of each of first and second knitted fabrics formed into a tubular fabric is laid over an adjoining loop in the last course to form a double loop, so that the bind-off loop formed continuously with the double loop forms the bind-off course extending continuously from one end of a region of the binding-off process toward the other end to join the first and second knitted fabric to each other,
wherein at least three bind-off courses are formed starting at not less than three loops, i.e., loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at side ends thereof in the region of the binding-off process, and a loop adjoining to the loop of at least either of the first and second knitted fabrics at the side end, and the loops of the respective bind-off courses are each laid over the loop of the last course of the opposite knitted fabric in such a manner as to extend in zigzag from the second knitted fabric to the first knitted fabric and vice versa, ranging over the region of the binding-off process, so as to be crossed with each other.
Further, the present invention provides a CAD system used for a binding-off process which is performed by using a flat knitting machine comprising at least a pair of first and second needle beds, which have a number of needles, respectively, and are placed opposite in front and back; between which a needle bed gap is defined; and at least either of which is movable slidably transversely, and at least one yarn feeder for feeding a yarn to the needles of the first needle bed and the second needle bed, and in which the knitting that a bind-off loop formed continuously with a loop in the last course of a tubular fabric comprising first and second knitted fabrics is laid over a loop adjoining to the bind-off loop formed continuously with the loop in the last course of the fabric, to form a bind-off loop of the next course is repeated from one end of a region of the binding-off process toward the other end, to join the first and second knitted fabrics to each other on the side on which the knitting is finished, the CAD system being designed to give knitting commands for:
1) the process of at least three bind-off courses being formed starting at not less than three loops, i.e., loops of the first and second knitted fabrics at side ends thereof in the region of the binding-off process and a loop adjoining to the loop of at least either of the first and second knitted fabrics at the side end, and
2) the process that the loop of the bind-off course formed is laid over the loop of the last course of the opposite knitted fabric in such a manner that while being formed, the respective bind-off courses can be allowed to extend in zigzag from the first knitted fabric to the second knitted fabric and vice versa, ranging over the region of the binding-off process, to be crossed with each other.